Alternatives to Wedding Albums
Most brides think that they have no alternative but to allow their photographer to choose the photos the photographer thinks are best and then they can then choose the wedding album covers. Then the photographer chooses special matte papers on which to “elegantly” display the wedding photographs.
NEWS FLASH! With the advent of new wedding album alternatives, courtesy of the digital technology age, brides are no longer restricted to boring albums that often do not represent their personalities or desires.
There are several new products available that encourage the bride and groom’s creative input. Or, they can just provide the images and let these expert design teams create unique coffee table wedding photo albums designed specifically for them. Remember, whichever one you choose, the final result is a family heirloom that you can share throughout the years and pass from one generation to the next. If you are on a limited budget look for a publisher that offers a Gift Registry service so that your family and friends can help offset the production cost.
The first alternative is the revolutionary Coffee Table Wedding Photo Book. This up and coming, unique wedding album contains the couple’s choice wedding photographs, printed on their choice of Kodak lab print or digital offset paper. The pages are sewn and then bound into a book with their choice of hard back covers. Why are they called Coffee Table Magazine Style Wedding Photo Books? The books are bound in such a way that when they are opened and placed on a table they “lie flat”, similar to the large glamour magazines you have seen in salons.
The industry offers a large selection from embossed leather covers to photos on silk or metal. Traditional linen covers are also available. It is like having your own personal book publisher. The couple is then able to have as few as one book printed, or have multiple copies created to be used as gifts. These books are created by designers who add graphic design elements to certain images, which help evoke more of an emotional feel throughout the book. Custom text can also be added to help tell the story. Scanned documents or other images, such as when you first met, your bridal shower, getting ready for your wedding, or your honeymoon pictures can easily be included to tell a more “complete” story.
The second alternative is the advent of the Video DVD production craze. With DVD players so affordably priced and most computers now come standard with DVD players, many brides are opting to have their wedding immortalized with video and sound on DVD. For those who want their wedding book displayed on their new wide screen TV or large flat computer monitor, having their wedding produced into a video DVD is the ultimate gratification. The wedding does not have to be videotaped for this to happen. The photos can be supplied with whatever text the bride wants included, the type of music chosen, and audio files of the vows or comments or toasts can be included. Also, video clips can be added, if desired. Again, certain images receive special design elements to help evoke the emotional feel desired. If the bride and groom want, special stock images can be included with text overlay to help tell the story.
If you are on a limited budget, the Video DVD may be your answer. Once the initial design and production cost is met, you can have your friends and family purchase individually from the company who created your video DVD. These often can be obtained for less than $50 each, and make great gifts. Again, remember to consider a company that offers gift registry services to help offset the production cost.
Many brides are excited by these new options and want to start immediately. Once they contact the publishers they discover that they must first have a signed release by their photographer. When using a professional photographer, no matter which alternative you choose, please remember that you must obtain a signed release from your photographer giving you permission to use the images. Some couples purchase their negatives outright and receive a signed release at that time, while others must obtain permission later. Keep this in mind when choosing your photographer. If you are considering having one of these alternative wedding albums produced, be sure to purchase your negatives and obtain a signed release at the same time. This will help save you valuable time later.
Dawna Smith
Custom Photo Book Publisher
customphotobook.com
Bridal Party Gifts: It's Time to Get Personal
Take a good look around the next time you’re gathered together with your bridesmaids and groomsmen. These are friends you’ll find only once in a lifetime, sisters you’ve shared secrets with, a sister-in-law-to-be who’s become a fast friend, the brother you’ve always admired. Let’s face it: You might not even be headed to the altar at all without this special group. Remember when your college roommate said she had met THE guy for you? Turns out she was right.
And these are the companions who’ve been with you throughout your wedding planning, every step of the way, from celebrating the arrival of a sparkling new engagement ring to addressing invitations to taking time away from work for a long wedding weekend. Now it’s time to say thank-you, not only with a handwritten note that expresses your feelings, but also with a gift that’s worthy of this momentous occasion. It can be presented to your attendants as a group at the rehearsal dinner, or separately at the bachelors’ dinner or bridesmaids’ luncheon.
If you’re not sure where to start, consider this: The perfect bridal party gift shouldn’t break your budget, but it should be chosen with care and reflect your impeccable good taste. Among tried-and-true bridesmaid favorites you’ll find personalized bridesmaids gifts such as silver jewelry boxes, silver lockets, picture frames and key chains. Groomsmen are known to appreciate handy flasks, mugs for their favorite beverage, money clips, watches or stylish cuff links. But what’s the real beauty of these traditional favorites? All are easily engraved and personalized, for the absolutely perfect finishing touch. Nothing says “I care” or “I couldn’t have done it without you” like a gift that you’ve taken the time to personalize.
Incorporating a cherished friend’s name or monogram, or even your wedding date as a happy reminder of time spent together, makes their gift even more of a treasure. If you’re feeling poetic, compose a sentimental message of your own for each gift that includes something personal about the recipient. The lucky attendant on the receiving end is sure to be touched by the extra time and effort you’ve put into enhancing a special token of your affection.
Once you’ve selected the gifts for those who’ll stand by you on the big day, devote some time to that all-important gift for the one you’re about to wed. Chances are, you’re about to marry your best friend, and your gifts to each other should say just that. They need not be extravagant, simply heartfelt. Elegant trinket boxes (to hold a special piece of jewelry, naturally!) can be beautifully engraved, or you can personalize a watch or sentimental locket with a romantic message or simply your one-and-only wedding date. At a loss for words? Try something as concise as “Forever Yours,” “I Give You My Heart,” or “Now We Are One.” When you’re thinking about personalized gifts, don’t forget to seal your promise of happily-ever-after by engraving a special sentiment inside both of your wedding bands, too. Ask the jeweler to add your names, your wedding date or a short verse you both love. After all, this is about forever, so say just that in the ring that symbolizes your new married status.
Last but not least, set aside some quiet time right before your wedding – when last-minute decisions may be overwhelming and you need a reminder of why you became engaged in the first place – to present your gifts to each other. Enclose a love note that recounts the day you met or the moment when he first said “I love you,” or write a few verses of a favorite poem to accompany the gift that’s sure to become a keepsake for life.
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